Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja
The Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and some members of the United States Congress have expressed excitement as President Donald Trump signed the bill for a two-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), after the enabling law elapsed on September 30, 2025.
Nigeria is among the 32 African beneficiaries of AGOA, which was established in 2000 to provide countries across Africa with duty-free access to the American market, promoting economic growth in Africa and boosting trade between the US and the continent.
Okonjo-Iweala conveyed her delight at the development via a post on X (formerly Twitter).
She said: “Great to learn that the USA has granted a two-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), extending trade preferences to qualifying African countries.
“Hope this will help stimulate mutually beneficial and greater Africa-USA trade! Thanks to Congress, the Administration, and the numerous individuals and organisations that worked hard to make this happen.
“Credit also to the African Union @_AfricanUnion and African leaders for patience and persistence on this issue,” she added.
The US House of Representatives passed a bill in January this year to renew the preferential trade programme for some African countries through 2028, approving the extension by a vote of 340 to 54.
Despite threats to exclude South Africa from the preferential trade programme, President Trump signed the AGOA extension bill into law on Friday.
The two-year extension was passed by the US Congress without substantive policy changes, providing continuity for exporters across the African continent.
After months of delays and questions about the future of the trade programme, which led to speculation that Trump’s administration was ready to scrap the AGOA or significantly curtail it, potentially excluding certain countries from it, the US president signed the bill.
After Trump’s return to the White House, a group of congressmen wrote a letter to him, urging him to bar Pretoria from the programme.
Last December, the US Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, said he was “open” to “different treatment” for South Africa, calling the country a “unique problem” and signalling possible exclusion.
But the Senate and the House of Representatives passed an extension last week, running through the end of December 2028.
Meanwhile, US lawmakers who championed the extension have welcomed the news of the bill’s signing.
Republican Representative for Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, Congressman Jason Smith, said, “For over two decades, the African Growth and Opportunity Act has been the foundation of America’s trade relationship with the nations of sub-Saharan Africa.
“AGOA promotes greater economic stability and opportunity across Africa while advancing America’s strategic and national security interests, including access to critical minerals and more secure supply chains.”
Also, U.S. Congresswoman Terri Sewell, who represents Alabama’s 7th District, applauded the extension, stating that it would help strengthen trade relations between the US and Africa.
Sewell said: “I am thrilled to announce that we were able to include the reauthorisation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, in the continuing resolution that passed the House today.
“As the lead champion of AGOA in Congress, I am thrilled that we were able to overcome the divisiveness in Washington and extend this critically important trade programme for two years while we continue our work to modernise and expand our trade relationships with Africa.
“AGOA has been one of the most successful trade programmes in our nation’s history, opening doors for African nations while continuing to provide new opportunities for American workers, farmers, and manufacturers.”
According to her, AGOA represents “the best of American economic leadership,” promoting opportunity, partnership and long-term investment.
“At a time when Africa’s economic importance is growing, I am glad that the United States is joining with the AGOA countries to secure a more prosperous future for us all,” the congresswoman added.
The US Congress had advanced a bill seeking to revive the programme after it expired on September 30, 2025.
The AGOA Extension Act was introduced by Jason Smith, a member of the US House of Representatives, and proposed a three-year renewal of the programme until December 31, 2028.
The extension permits retroactive duty-free treatment on imports from eligible African countries as of the expiration date, empowering importers to claim refunds for duties they paid during the interim on AGOA-qualifying goods.